Smile For the Camera
by pandorabox82
Summary: Serena and Bernie decide that it is high time they have family pictures taken. But there is still one surprise left for Serena...


"You asked me to remind you when it was two, Serena?"

She glanced up from the paperwork she had been focused on, giving Roxanna a small nod. "Is it that late already? I guess I just lost track of time, what with me skipping lunch. Thank you again for covering the rest of my shift. I know your talents are wasted down here, but there wasn't anyone else I could ask."

"This is fine, Henrik's down in the ER today, anyway, covering the rest of Bernie's shift. And that's what family does, after all, help each other out when we can. Even if we're only work family." Serena smiled as she reached out and grabbed hold of Roxanna's hand, holding on tightly as she pulled the woman over to her side. "Serena?"

"I have a few minutes, since Bernie will need to change out of her beloved scrubs, but I haven't had an update from you or Henrik in a while. How is living with him?"

Roxanna blushed as she leaned against the side of the desk, looking down at her feet. "I thought it would be easier than it is. I mean, it's been seven months, and I'm still finding things about him that just set my teeth on edge. And I'm certain there are certain things that I do that irritate him as well. Though there are certain perks to irritation." Roxanna blushed a little as Serena through back her head and laughed.

"I do know those perks so well," she replied before reaching out to pat Roxanna's arm. "And there comes a point when you'll just pick at a person until you can reap those benefits."

"Serena, what are you telling Roxanna? Hanssen is going to be after you for ages if you encourage any naughtiness in his partner." They looked over at Bernie in tandem, and Serena gave her a small wink before getting up from her chair and coming over to Bernie's side, wrapping her arms around her wife before resting her head on her chest. "Try not to play innocent here."

"I was just reminding Roxanna that sometimes it can be nice to pick at our partners until we have some really great makeup sex."

Bernie laughed a little as she shook her head a little, bending to press her lips against Serena's temple as they started to make their way out of the office. "Thanks again for covering for Serena, Roxy. We really appreciate it!"

The other woman gave them a small wave and nod as Serena closed the door behind them, and then she was sighing deeply as Bernie helped her into her coat. "Do you realise how difficult it is to keep a secret from a friend?" she asked as they clasped hands, heading over to the lifts.

"I can only imagine, especially when your face wears truth like a neon sign. You're certain that she didn't guess anything about the end of today's shift?" Serena shook her head. "Excellent, maybe you'll be able to play poker with my friends sooner than we thought."

"The only poker I want to play is strip poker, and only against you, Wolfie," Serena teased, and Bernie let out her loud laugh as they stepped into the lift and began to ride down. "Really, though, I can think of nothing better than hearing old war stories and finding out more about your past. Sometimes, you are too modest for your own good!"

Bernie shrugged a little as the doors opened on the ground floor, leading them out to her car. "There are things that I like to keep close to the vest, not because they're secrets, but because I don't want to burden you with some of the things I saw." Serena nodded a little as she leaned up and kissed Bernie softly. "Serena?"

"I just don't like when you look so sad, darling," she murmured as she slipped into the passenger seat. Bernie nodded before closing the door and going around to get behind the wheel. "I must say that we lucked out with the weather today. December usually isn't so nice."

Bernie nodded as she pulled out of the carpark, heading in the direction of the park where they were going to meet up with Jason and Greta. Now that things had started to go more smoothly for them all, he had declared that Guinevere needed formal family pictures. Though why he had settled on nearly Christmas for them to be taken, Serena would never know. "I'm glad that I get to be part of your family," Bernie said softly as she turned into the park, find a spot next to Jason's vehicle. Serena nodded, feeling herself tear up as she thought about how things could have ended so terribly for them last year. How they had let each other go, only to realise that they worked much better together than apart. "Don't cry, darling, you'll ruin your makeup, and we don't have time for you to redo your face."

Serena laughed as she nodded, trying to hold it together as Bernie kissed her once more. "I will need to touch up my lipstick, though. And you'll have to clean your mouth." She rummaged through her purse, pulling out the tube of lipstick and a pack of tissues, thrusting them at Bernie as she flipped down the visor and stared in the mirror as she reapplied the lipstick, smacking her lips together a little before turning and smiling at Bernie brilliantly. "How do I look?"

"Radiant," Bernie breathed out as she pocketed the keys and opened the door. "But if you keep looking at me like that, we won't be able to take pictures today, because I will kiss you senseless."

Serena gave a small nod as she got out of the car and looked around for Jason. A small gasp left her lips when she recognized Cameron's car on the other side of Jason's, and she looked up at Bernie in confusion as their hands clasped. "Why is Cam here?" she finally asked, finding her voice at last.

"You can't take family pictures without the whole family present. Charlie even agreed to come up from London, since we haven't had family pictures taken in a very long time." Serena swallowed thickly as she nodded, trying not to think of the fact that Elinor wasn't there to join them. "I know, I wish she was here, too." Bernie squeezed her hand tightly as she led them into the park. They followed the pavement for a long way, until they reached a bench beneath a wide oak tree. Charlotte was holding Guinevere as she talked to Jason, while Cam and Greta were talking to the photographer. Bernie raised her hand to them as they glanced over at them, and Serena felt a wide smile spread across her face as Charlotte broke away from Jason to come over to her side, wrapping her in a tight hug that sandwiched Guinevere between them.

"I am so glad that Cam was able to get ahold of me in time to change my schedule! I know, I haven't been able to get here as much as I would have liked, after everything that happened last year, but I'm so glad to be here now." She kissed her cheek softly before handing Guinevere over. "And I needed to see me Gwennie!" she cooed as the tickled the toddler's cheeks.

Serena was overwhelmed by the wave of happiness that swept over her, and she looked over at Bernie, tears trembling on her eyelashes. "Pictures first, tears later," she murmured as she reached out and ran her thumb along Serena's cheekbone. She nodded a little before taking hold of Bernie's hand and heading over to the bench, taking a seat on it and arranging Guinevere on her lap as the rest of her family took their places around her and Bernie. The photographer started taking pictures of them, ordering them around into different configurations, and Serena was so happy to see the shots he took of Bernie and her children, of Jason and Greta, and then of all their children together.

"All right, now I think that we should get a few pictures of just Serena and Bernie," the young woman said, giving them a pretty smile. Serena sighed a little as she nodded, not wanting the focus to be completely on her, since this was supposed to be about their families, but the pleading look in Charlotte's face, and the twinkle in in the photographer's eyes told her that she shouldn't really say no. Taking a seat once more on the bench, she looked up at Bernie expectantly.

It took her a moment to join Serena, and then they were cuddling close together as a sudden gust of wind blew through them. "I can think of the perfect way to warm up after this." Serena hoped the saucy whisper made Bernie giggle, and she held her breath for a moment, waiting for her reaction. It was delayed, but then she let out her bark before knocking her shoulder against Serena's.

"Well, I think that hot chocolate might have to suffice." Serena glanced at her from the corner of her eye as they got into the pose suggested by the photographer, trying to work out that response, since usually Bernie was so gung ho to end up in bed. Still, she tried to put on a happy smile, though that was easier to do when Bernie wrapped her arm around her shoulders, pulling her close for a few shots before she pressed her lips to Serena's cheek.

Her brow furrowed a little as she watched their family gather around the camera, watching them intently, but then Bernie was kissing her once more, and she sighed with pleasure before letting out a small sound of discontent when Bernie pulled away from her and stood up. "Bernie?"

"Hush, Serena." She gave her a small smile as she slipped her hand into one of her coat pockets as she slowly got onto one knee. "This, this might be the time when you get to cry, darling." Serena nodded, pursing her lips together as her eyes darted between the velvet box in Bernie's hand and her partner's eyes. Everything was starting to get blurry as her tears filled her eyes, and she reached out to tug on the lapels of Bernie's coat, trying to get her off the cold ground. "I have to do this the right way, Serena."

"Okay, I just don't want your knee to freeze up." Serena brushed a hank of hair behind Bernie's ear as she waited for her to speak again. Bernie let out a chuffed breath as she nodded, resting one hand on Serena's thigh and squeezing softly.

"I think I learned more about myself in the four months I was gone from you, Serena. And one of the largest things I found out is that I don't do well when I'm separated from my family. I was lonely without you, even though we did still email and text. There was a formality between us that just felt wrong. And once Cam started back, and told me how lonely you were, almost guilting me into coming back. Connie and Henrik reminding me that they were still seriously understaffed in the ED was just the nudge I needed to return. And I am so glad that I did, because I was drawn back to you. I found out that this ache in my heart was from missing you, and I don't want to miss you like that ever again. So, I guess, this is the long way of my asking a very short question. Serena, will you marry me?"

She went to say yes, but found that her throat was clogged with tears, so she had to nod instead, holding out her left hand expectantly. Bernie pulled the ring from its bed of satin and slipped it onto Serena's finger. The small weight seemed right, and she closed her eyes as she licked her lips and smiled widely, trying desperately not to burst into tears. Coughing a little to clear her throat, she lowly said, "I love you," before leaning forward and letting Bernie embrace her tightly, pressing her lips against her face in a flurry of kisses. "We're officially going to be a family," she managed to choke out before Bernie was clambering up onto the bench with her, embracing her tightly as they cried together out of happiness.

Somehow, she knew that the photographer was still taking pictures of them, and she was grateful for that, especially when everyone else joined them around the bench. Serena looked up to see her family gazing down on them and again, felt a wave of love overcome her and she smiled, hoping the camera would be able to capture the joy that was in her heart.


End file.
